


Merry

by Estrella3791



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, I Don't Even Know, I just love Merry so much, I was like twelve when I wrote this, Okay I need sleep, Why am I not a hobbit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 08:42:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11917263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrella3791/pseuds/Estrella3791
Summary: If she were ever to marry anyone, she would marry Merry.





	Merry

Meriadoc Brandybuck smiled at Frodo. They had all been relieved to see his spirits return after the Scouring of the Shire, even though they all suspected that it wouldn’t last. Frodo smiled back, and threw back his head to swallow the last few drops of ale.

“Good, isn’t it, Frodo?” said Pippin.

The three of them, plus Sam, were at the Green Dragon, sampling their brews. 

“Very,” Frodo agreed. “Fill up my glass, Sam.” 

Sam accordingly filled it up, beaming with pleasure. He was thrilled that Mister Frodo was feeling well enough to come drinking with the three other Travelers. The four of them tapped their mugs together and took a long draught. Merry watched Sam’s gaze rise to the corner where Rosie was cleaning dishes. He inwardly rolled his eyes. If Sam ever made a move on that lass it would be a miracle, though goodness knew that both of them had been pining for the other for years. That was why Merry choked on his beer when Sam slammed his mug down on the table and scraped his chair back. 

All three of the Travelers’ eyes followed the gardener until they saw what he was doing, which was when they immediately found the inside of their mugs fascinating. If Merry had ever seen a kiss like that he didn’t remember it. Frodo laughed merrily, and Pippin exhaled heavily. Merry grinned.

 

It took time. It took a lot of time for Merry to recover from the journey. He woke up screaming most nights. Pippin told him that he did, too. When Merry closed his eyes, he saw Thèoden dying, Èowyn’s face twisting in pain, faces of the dead. He slept with his sword by his pillow, and felt uneasy when he could not see behind him.

But he healed. Slowly, but surely, nevertheless. And he saw Pippin healing, too. Sam, Frodo, they were all healing, and it did Merry’s heart good. 

 

It was a warm summer day when he saw her. He and Pippin were lying underneath an apple tree, crunching on the windfalls. They had been arguing about who had shown the most bravery in war when they heard footsteps on the road. War had sharpened all of their senses.

It was Estella. He hadn’t seen her since they had been organizing Frodo’s house in Crickhollow, and somehow she seemed… different. He had always secretly thought her much prettier than most of the hobbit lasses of his acquaintance, but now she looked – 

“Good afternoon, Merry, Pippin,” she greeted them, and Merry felt his heart flutter a little at the sound of her voice.

Stop it, Merry! He scolded himself. It’s just Stella!

“Good day,” Pippin said.

It took his elbow in Merry’s ribs to get Meriadoc to grunt, “Afternoon.”

Estella put a hand on her hip and shook her head. 

“Peregrin Took, you’re just as big a nuisance as ever, aren’t you?”

“Of course!” Pippin grinned unrepentantly. 

Estella turned her eyes toward Merry and he felt his heart leap at the flash of emerald.

“Meriadoc.” 

Her voice was soft, tender.

“Hullo, Stella.”

They smiled at each other for a moment until Stella came to her senses. 

“I’m just on my way to help Sam with his Gaffer. Old Master Ham’s rheumatism has been bothering him. I’ve been studying a bit of healing while you were away. Goodness knows I had plenty of hobbits to practice on, what with the ruffians and all.”

Oh, yes. She had always had an interest in healing. He had even let her use him as a ‘patient’ sometimes when they were small. Somehow Merry didn’t much like the idea of her ‘practicing’ on hobbits who were not him.

“I see. Perhaps I’ll come with you. I haven’t seen the Gaffer in quite a while.”

Estella smiled. 

“Come along, then. You coming, Pip?”

Pippin shook his head.

“No. I saw the Gaffer just yesterday – and got some potatoes off of him, I might add.”

He grinned as Stella laughed.

“Good day, Miss Bolger!” 

And with that he was gone.

Merry and Stella walked along in rather awkward silence. Merry wasn’t sure what to say. Neither was Stella.

“How are you?” Merry finally said, and then winced at how awful that sounded.

“Pretty well,” she said, and if Merry had been able to look at her, he would have seen the blush that crept over her cheeks. 

“Good,” said Merry.

There was another awkward silence. Merry thought about how terrible a first impression he must be making. Stella thought about how ugly she was and Fatty had always been right when he said that she would never find a hobbit to marry because she never knew what to say and how – 

“I guess it must have been awful for you, seeing battles and goblins and…”

Merry’s eyes darkened and she trailed off. 

_Idiot! _she berated herself. _Why would you say that? Now he hates you and he’s never going to talk to you again and you _–____

____“I’m sorry,” she faltered. “I shouldn’t have-”_ _ _ _

____“No,” Merry said quickly, “It’s all right.”_ _ _ _

____He must have seen the terrified expression on her face._ _ _ _

____“I shouldn’t have gone poking my nose where it had no business,” Stella said briskly, trying to make it less awkward and more hobbit – like._ _ _ _

____“It isn’t your fault that Arda is the way it is,” Merry told her._ _ _ _

____Stella smiled at him._ _ _ _

____“Well, neither is it yours, so let’s just appreciate the lovely day,” she said, raising her face to the sky._ _ _ _

____Merry grinned. He loved the way that she loved nature. She caught him grinning and raised an eyebrow, and he quickly cleared his throat and tried to look serious, as befitted a Knight of Rohan._ _ _ _

____“I, er, quite agree. And, Stella…”_ _ _ _

____Her face lit up at his use of her nickname._ _ _ _

____“I’m sorry for my negative response to your statement. It… the war _was _awful.”___ _ _ _

______Stella nodded._ _ _ _ _ _

______“It must have been. I’m sorry that I brought it up.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“That’s quite all right,” Merry said._ _ _ _ _ _

______Before either of them could say anything else, a pony trotted up behind them._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Ho, there, Bill,” a familiar voice said, and Merry looked up at Sam._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Hullo, Sam,” he said._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Hello, Sam,” said Estella._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Good day Mister Merry, Miss Estella,” Sam said with a bob of his head._ _ _ _ _ _

______Merry, Pippin, and Frodo had been trying unsuccessfully for months to break Sam of his habit of attaching a prefix to everyone’s names. Merry had just about given up._ _ _ _ _ _

______“We’re just coming to help Gaffer Gamgee with his rheumatism,” Estella told Sam._ _ _ _ _ _

______He nodded._ _ _ _ _ _

______“We’re right grateful to you. I’ll see you there – Bill’s anxious for his dinner.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Sam trotted off._ _ _ _ _ _

______“He’s a good lad,” said Estella. “He deserves all the blessings in the world.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Merry smiled._ _ _ _ _ _

______“That he does, Stella,” he agreed. “That he does.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“He did a lot, didn’t he?” she said. “For Frodo, I mean.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Merry was silent for a moment._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Yes,” he said finally. “He did.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Though no one would ever know exactly how much. Sam never let anyone give him even close to as much credit as he deserved._ _ _ _ _ _

______Stella nodded._ _ _ _ _ _

______“He’s a good lad,” she said again. “He’s the only person I’ll ever be able to honestly say deserves Rosie.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Merry smiled, and Stella smiled too._ _ _ _ _ _

______ _ _ _ _

______The Gaffer was in a fine mood. He not only ‘felt better than he had in quite a while,’ but also had some delightful news._ _ _ _ _ _

______“My Sam’s getting married!” the old hobbit told them, practically beaming in delight. “He’s finally marrying his Rosie!”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“She was never my Rosie,” Sam muttered, his face bright red. He was beaming brighter than the sun, however, so Merry doubted that they were in any danger of being attacked by a resentful hobbit. Stella smiled at both of them._ _ _ _ _ _

______“We’re very happy for you, Sam,” she said. Sam smiled back at her. Merry felt a sudden rush of affection for both of them; the beautiful lass with the big heart, and the sturdy lad with the loyalty and bravery of a man three times his size._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Very,” Merry said, and surprised Sam by drawing him into a hug. When they pulled apart, both were grinning broadly but full of memories and emotion, and Merry had to cough to cover up the lump in his throat. “Very happy, Sam,” he said again, for good measure._ _ _ _ _ _

______By the time they left, they’d all eaten much, laughed more, and had a very lively conversation about when the wedding would be._ _ _ _ _ _

______Merry offered to walk Stella home, and she accepted. As they approached her door, she looked at him. He slowed his pace and looked back at her._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Thank you, Merry,” she said softly. He stared at her in bemusement._ _ _ _ _ _

______“For what, Stella?” he asked, a little laugh in his voice._ _ _ _ _ _

______She smiled shyly at him._ _ _ _ _ _

______“For coming back,” she said. “I know that... well...”_ _ _ _ _ _

______That he almost didn’t. They both knew it, and they were both glad that his story hadn’t ended that way._ _ _ _ _ _

______“It was my pleasure,” he said with an impish grin, and before either of them knew what was happening he’d kissed her on the cheek and started back along the road, whistling a cheerful tune._ _ _ _ _ _

______Estella blushed and pushed her door open and knew that if she were ever to marry anyone, she’d marry Merry._ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
